August 31, 2012

THE GROWTH SECTOR IN FASHION: Plus-sized clothes. “Fighting mediocre sales and a sluggish economy, retailers are finding there’s a booming market for plus-size clothing. While the category has been getting notice for years, clothing companies desperate for sales see zooming growth in dressing America’s expanding waistline. Many are opening specialty stores, expanding plus-size departments and targeting ads directly to the curvy woman. . . . More than one-third of American adults are obese and nearly two-thirds of women are at least overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts say that at least half of women now wear dresses and pants size 14 or larger — which falls into the plus-size category — and this group controls nearly 30% of the purchasing power for clothes, according to NPD Group.”